


Stay With Me

by LoisLane1986



Series: whumptober 2019 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-23 20:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21087320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoisLane1986/pseuds/LoisLane1986
Summary: number 17 of Whumptober.





	1. 17. Stay With Me

He wasn’t keen on letting Peter go to Europe for two weeks. He wasn’t keen on letting him out of his sight, to be honest. 5 years away from his son was too long. Even though he had gotten Peter back eight months ago. He knew that keeping him at home forever, wasn’t an option. But it was definitely one Tony had been entertaining. Morgan was immensely attached to her big brother, so much so that she tried several times to get into his luggage to go with him.

She pouted all the way to the airport. Tony couldn’t help but smile at it. She was pouting and glaring at Peter, all the while he didn’t notice because he was texting on his phone. Tony just drank in his two kids. He was thankful that he brought Peter back, that Carol had been able to wield the stones and get rid of thanos and those who followed him, and she made it in the end without a scratch on her.

“Hey Pete?”

Peter looked up at his dad with a quizzical look, “Yeah?”

“Pay her some attention or I fear her lip will fall off.” Tony replied with a pointed look at Morgan.

Peter followed his gaze from his father sitting across from him, to his little sister sitting to his right side. He couldn’t help the smile and small laugh that escaped from him. She looked so cute while pouting.

“Hey Morg, what’s up with the lip?”

“You’re leaving.”

“Just for two weeks. Then I’m coming right back and we can play as much Wii as you want.”

“I want to go with you!”

Peter and Tony both saw the beginning of a tantrum happening, just as they pulled up to the airport to drop Peter off. Neither wanting to move until Pepper opened the door and took Morgan out of her car seat.

“Come on, sweetie. Time to calm down.”

As Pepper stood with a now wailing Morgan, Peter and Tony following soon after. Pepper gave Tony a look as she rocked Morgan, Tony let out a sympathetic sigh and Peter was unsure as to what to do. Sure Morgan is his little sister but he’s only had eight months with her. His parents have had five years. Five years he would never get back. With any of them.

“Hey, Morgs?” Morgan looked at Peter, her sobs still at the same level as before, “What do you think of my plan for telling MJ how I feel? Should I buy her a necklace?” Morgan nodded while her sobs slowed down, “Yeah? Okay. How about when I give it to her, hopefully she feels the same about me, I bring you to meet her when I get home? How does that sound?”

“Oh-oh-kay.” Morgan replied as she calmed down.

Pepper looked at Peter with such love and admiration, having just calmed down his baby sister while getting her to be okay with him leaving for two weeks. Tony just looked at Peter as if he was seeing him for the first time. Man did he love his son more than life itself. Which he proved by creating time travel just to get him back.

The walk inside was somber, having just gotten Morgan calmed down. They now had to check Peter in and get him boarded. Tony had offered to fly the entire class on his jet but Peter, being Peter, talked him out of it. That he just wanted to go on the trip as a normal team, not in first class or on a private jet. And just enjoy. It made sense, considering that Peter has always been humble. Ever since he was a baby. He’s never been interested in expensive things, didn’t care for extravagant things or anything that Tony liked. He   
honestly didn’t know where the kid got it from. Maybe his mom. But he swore that since Peter had half his DNA, he should be like him as well.

And that made him smile because Peter was like him in a lot of ways. Same mannerisms. Same interests. Though, Tony would argue that Peter was smarter than him in many ways. Not only was Peter insanely intelligent in Chemistry, Engineering, Coding, Physics and Biology, much like Tony. But he could also think several steps ahead of Tony in many of those areas.

They hadn’t even gotten to check in before Tony felt himself colliding into Pepper and Morgan, all three of them falling down. A loud pop resounding in the airport and as Tony looked over his shoulder, Peter on the ground with blood pooling around him.

“No, no, no, no, no. Pete?” Tony cried as he scrambled away from his wife and daughter to his son. His first born. His Peter. Turning him over broke Tony’s heart. Peter was looking around wildly, his breathing erratic and his hands shaking. Tony looked around, screaming for help. He saw the gun man on the ground, being pinned down by several TSA staff members.

Tony could hear Morgan crying out for Peter and Pepper trying to calm her down, her own sobs weren’t helping. “Pete? Come on, baby. Look at me. Stay with me.” Tony pleaded, his hand now pressing over the wound in Peters chest, cursing the universe.

Peter looked at Tony, fear and confusion in his eyes, “D-d-da-dad. I-I’m cold. Why am I cold?”

“You’re not, you’re nice and toasty. Okay?”

Peter stopped shaking, he wasn’t supposed to stop shaking. Tony knew that was a bad sign. Where was the EMTs? How could Peter be going downhill so fast? This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was just going on a school trip. He was going to have fun, tell the girl he had a crush on how he felt and bring her over to meet them. This wasn’t part of the plan.

Peter lazily smiled at Tony, “Hey, Dad. Why are you so sad?”

“I’m not, but I need you to stay with me, okay? Can you do that? Can you do that for your old man?”

“Of course I caaaaaa…..”

Tony felt Peter go limp in his arms, panic setting in even faster. “No! No, no, no, no, no! Open your eyes, baby. Come on!” Tony felt hands grab him and grab Peter, causing him to hold him closer, “No! Get away! He’s my son!”

“Tony, let them help Peter!” Pepper pleaded with him

Tony watched helplessly as the EMT’s shocked his son, over and over. Trying to get a rhythm. He watched them do CPR. Nothing was working. Every time they pushed on his chest, some blood came out. He was supposed to protect Peter. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

He heard Pepper scream as they stopped, yelling at them to keep trying to save her son. He heard a cop tell them they couldn’t. There was nothing they could do. They pronounced Peter DOA. And Tony, Tony couldn’t remember anything after that.

Peter was supposed to stay with him.

Then he was stood in the morgue, unsure of how he got there. He didn’t even remember leaving the airport. But here he was, standing on the side of the table, looking down at his son, laying lifeless. He couldn’t help himself as he reached a hand out to fix a section of hair.

“Hey bud. I uh, I don’t. I don’t know what happened. You were just going on a school trip. That’s it. It wasn’t supposed to be,” Tony had to catch his breath. Feeling his chest constrict and his eyes water. “You weren’t supposed to leave me here, kid. I’m the dad. I was supposed to protect you and I failed. I just needed you to stay with me. I need you to stay with me, Peter.”

After placing a final kiss on Peters forehead, Tony left the room.


	2. 18. Muffled Scream

Tony awoke with a start. His eyes felt heavy and it was hard to focus. His surroundings were not that of his lake house, but of an abandoned warehouse. His last memory was getting into bed with Pepper after putting the kids to sleep. After that, it’s all a blur. As he tried to sit up, he noticed his hands were tied and as were his feet.

He looked to his right to see Pepper and Morgan also tied and gagged. Both were still knocked out. But there was a person missing. Peter...

Where was Peter? His mind began to race, his eyes wildly searching for him. Until his eyed landed on a figure hanging by their hands from the ceiling. Peter.

Tony made a movement to go towards him but was pulled back. He then noticed that his midsection was shackled, so instead he stood up. He made note that he wasn’t gagged himself so he could speak. The lights turned on and he could see that Peter had been crying and had a black eye.

“Well, well, well. How are you doing, Anthony?”

Only one person had ever called him that. One person he had despised. Justin Hammer.

“Hammer. You into bondage now? Seems a bit extreme.”

Justin just gave a twisted smile as he sauntered over to Peter, “Always with the jokes, Anthony.”

Tony watched him with bated breath. Peter was struggling against his restraints, tears rolling down his cheeks, his breathing speeding up. But his eyes never left Tony’s face. Tony looked Peter directly in the eyes, an unspoken conversation happening between them as Justin stopped on the left side of Peter. It was then that he said something in Justin’s hand and at that moment, the rest of Tony’s family awoke.

“Ah, there she is! Awake at last! And so is the little one! The entire Stark family in one place. And all to witness our guest of honor,” Justin just smiled at Peter, who was still looking at Tony, “Die.”

Peter’s eyes widened at that word. Tony kept his stony gaze on Justin. Pepper began to struggle to get to Peter, her soon to be adoptive son that she loves more than anyone could ever know. Tony could hear Morgan crying and his heart broke.

“Calm down, Mrs. Stark,” Justin said as he approached Pepper and crotched down in front of her, “I told you that you would see me again. How’s that CEO game going so far?”

Pepper glared at Justin until he moved towards Morgan. Shouting came from Tony, Pepper kicking at Justin, Peter struggling against his restraints more than before and Morgan sobbing even more. As Justin walked back over to Peter, he took out the device he had in his hand earlier. It was a taser.

“Now, you have a choice Tony. This taser, was once a normal one. But it’s been improved. I’ve been using it on Peter for about 2 hours,” Justin’s sickly smirk made Tony sick 

“However, if you want, I can start on the little one here. Your choice, Anthony.”

“You’re sick. Going after children. Why not take a crack at me? Hm?”

Justin laughed heavily, “I don’t think you get it. I mean to hurt you in a way that you can’t recover. Now pick! Your daughter or your son.” Tony remained silent, which Justin took as an answer, “Fine, daughter it is”. But Justin never got to put the taser on her. Instead, he was being kicked by Peter, repeatedly. So much so that Justin had put Morgan down, allowing her to run to her father. “Son it is instead.” Justin said through gritted teeth

“Don’t you dare touch him!”

But Tony’s scream with drowned out but Peter’s muffled one. 

Tony watched in horror as Justin jammed that taser into Peter’s side, not once, not twice, but ten times in a row. And each time, Peter’s muffled screams got louder and louder. Tony’s cries did the same. Morgan and Pepper screaming at the same time. 

By the time Justin stopped, Peter had some blood spreading through his white shirt. He had lost consciousness, his breathing erratic and his face stained with tears. Tony gritted his teeth, during what Justin was doing to Peter, he found that he still had his watch on. 

He quickly pressed the panic button while Justin was torturing Peter. He had a short time window and he used it. Tapping the watch and having it expand over his hand, cutting through the rope, he shot at Justin. Sending him into a concrete wall. Tony wasted no time in blasting his and Peppers chains off and untying them before making a bee line to Peter.

But before he could reach him, a wall was blown in, causing Tony to fly backwards. Justin had come to and was trying to scurry away before he was met with a shield to the face, promptly knocking him out once more. But Tony couldn’t waste any more time thinking, he needed to get Peter down. 

Blasting Peter’s chains off as he got closer, he caught him just in time. His eyes roaming Peter’s face, his hand brushing his hair out of his face. He was vaguely aware of Pepper coming over, along with Morgan. Panic and fear filling both his voice and his face. His son wasn’t moving.

“Come on, baby. Come on. Breathe for me. Breathe for me, Peter! Come on!”

“Tony, tony, let us help him.”

He registered that voice, it was Steve. When did he get there? He couldn’t focus on that. He felt someone trying to remove Peter from his arms and he latched on tighter.

“DO NOT TOUCH HIM! HE’S HURT!” Tony screamed. 

“Tony, you have to let them take him. Please. Our son needs help. Let them help him.” Pepper pleaded.

Tony’s eyes searched for her’s. He noticed her look. The look of love mixed with fear. She too was afraid. How could she not be? She had been in Peter’s life since he was 2. He’s been calling her mom since he was four. And she was now able to start the adoption process. She was also fearing losing her son.

Reluctantly, he let Peter go slack in his arms as Steve and Bruce gathered him and put him on a gurney. As soon as Peter was loaded, they were gone. Tony just sat there until he saw Justin. Smiling as he was being walked away. Tony didn’t remember climbing to his feet, but he was up and headed for Justin. A metal arm had stopped him, and he glared at the person responsible. Bucky.

“You leave him to me. Go look after your family. You guys need each other.”

“He made us watch as he tor-

“Tony, I said leave him to me.”

Justin smiled bigger, “Yeah Anthony. Leave me to the guy with the metal arm.”

But as soon as Bucky looked at him, the color in Justin’s face drained. Just by one look from him. Tony backed up as he watched Bucky force Justin into a car with Natasha in the back. Everyone was going to help Tony get the revenge he wanted. They all saw how Peter looked. One thing that Justin didn’t know was how loved Peter was by the avengers.   
The drive to the hospital was long, in Tony’s mind. But as soon as they got there, the three of them were up to Peter’s floor in record time. As they rushed down the hall, both 

Pepper and Tony anxious to find their eldest child. Morgan holding on to Pepper tightly.

Rhodey had noticed them first, he knew that they wanted to go right to Peter. But he needed them to be calm and prepared. He lightly tapped Happy next to him, both fully turning towards the family, blocking their way into Peter’s room. Rhodey could see anger on his best friend’s face. 

“Tones, wa-

“Let me see my son, Rhodey. Or I swear to fucking god, I will move you myself.”

“Boss,”

“Don’t, Happy. Let us in.”

Rhodey sighed, “Tony, you need to wait. They are still setting him up. Once they are done, then you guys can go in. But you need to prepare yourselves. They cleaned him up, but he is still pale. His breathing is still erratic. But his healing is finally kicking in. Justin must have been dampening his powers somehow.”

“It was the taser.”

Rhodey furrowed his brow, “What?”

“Hammer. He tasered him for two hours before I came to. Then ten fucking times in a row, right in front of all three of us. He must have had it charged high. It could disrupt his healing.”

Rhodey ran a hand over his face as he looked into the room. His nephew, looking like the small child he once was. The nurses were coming out and he was more than happy to go pay Hammer a visit. Hoping that the rest of the team had left him somewhat conscious to let him at him.

“Mr. and Mrs. Stark? You may go in now. He’s awake.”

They didn’t need to be told twice. They raced in through the space given to them by Rhodey and Happy. Tony couldn’t help but wipe his hand down the side of Peter’s face as he kissed his forehead repeatedly. Silently thanking the sheer luck, he had with his watch not having been removed. 

As Tony pulled back, he could see what Rhodey had meant. Peter still looked terrible but looking back at Tony were the big, brown eyes that made his whole world go around. The eyes that made Tony smile for the first time since this whole ordeal. 

“Hey buddy. How you feeling?”

“Dad,” it came out more like a whisper, “I-what happened?”

“Hammer didn’t check me as well as he had thought. Don’t worry. He’s with Bucky and Nat.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t let him hurt Morgan. I co-

“Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay. I know. I’m sorry you’re in here.”

“Da-

Pepper decided now was the best time to speak up, “It’s neither of your faults. Remember that. If anything, it’s mine. I put him away after the expo. I’m so sorry, baby.”

Peter looked at her, “Mom, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“And neither did you. The important thing is that we are all safe and together.”


End file.
